DARFUR: A fire broke out last night at the headquarters of the hybrid United Nations-African Union (AU) peacekeeping operation in Darfur, known as UNAMID, causing $4 millions worth of damage, the mission announced today.UNAMID fire fighters, assisted by blue helmets from Rwanda and Egypt and the State Airport Fire Brigade, eventually brought the fire under control without suffering any injuries.The blaze caused an estimated $4 million worth of damage to communications equipment and another $1 million to other items, including office furniture and a water treatment laboratory.In addition, 11 container offices and two warehouses were completely destroyed in the fire, which may have been sparked by an electrical short circuit, according to an initial assessment to be confirmed after a more thorough investigation.
BEIRUT: Thousands of people converged Saturday on central Beirut to mark the fourth anniversary of the assassination of Lebanese former premier Rafiq Hariri.Waving Lebanese flags and carrying pictures of the slain leader, men, women and children gathered under sunny skies in Martyr's Square where members of the parliamentary majority were to address the crowd. The rally comes as final preparations are underway in The Hague for the launch of the international tribunal set up to bring Hariri's killers to justice. It also comes as the country prepares for legislative elections in June that will pit Western-backed political parties against a Hezbollah-led alliance backed by Syria and Iran.Hariri died in a massive car bombing on February 14, 2005 that also killed 22 others. The assassination was widely blamed on then Lebanese power-broker Syria, which has denied any involvement. The attack on the Beirut seafront was one of the worst acts of political violence to rock Lebanon since t...
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